Key-action for saxophones and the like.



S. C. GILBERT.

KEY ACTION FOR SAXOPHONES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I3.1916.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Afik'imgy a @222;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY C. GILBERT, OF JACKSON, OHIO.

KEY-ACTION FOR SAXOPHONES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 13, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY C. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Actions forSaxophones and the like; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates broadly to improvements in musical instruments andmore particularly to the note controlling means of saxophones andanalogous instruments, the aim of the invention being to provide meanswhereby opening of the valve to sound E flat will automatically open D,and means for automatically opening E flat when E is opened, the lastnamed means serving to open both E and E flat when F is opened. Bythisar-rangement, the great amount of fingering which has heretoforebeen necessary will be eliminated.

With the foregoing general object in view, the invention resides incertain novel features of construction and in unique combinations ofparts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptivematter being supplemented by the accompanying drawing which constitutesa part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a saxophone or similarinstrument showing the improved features of construction; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line22 of Fig. 1.

In specifically describing the construction shown in the drawings abovebriefly described, similar characters will be placed on correspondingparts throughout the several views and reference will be herein made tothe numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end, aportion S of a saxophone is shown equipped with the usual valves or padsP for controlling the notes E, F, E flat and D, said valves or padsbeing identified in the drawing by placing thereon charactersdesignating the notes which said valves or pads represent. These valvesor pads are provided with operating arms A for opening them when saidarms are properly actuated by the musician.

A rigid finger 1 is secured to the pad of E, the end of said fingerbeing positioned Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Serial No. 90,919.

on the outward path of the operating arm of F, which arm is preferablyprovided with an anti-friction roller 2 for contact with said finger l.A. second rigid finger 3 is secured to the pad of D and extendstherefrom to a point on the outward path of E flat, and a third finger 1is secured to the pad of E fiat and extends into the outward path of thefinger 1 of E, the portion of said finger 4c in the path of the finger 1being preferably in the form of a roller 5.

By the arrangement of the parts shown and described, D may be openedindependently of the others, while opening of E flat will simultaneouslyopen D. Also opening of E will open E fiat and D; and when F is openedE, E fiat and D are simultaneously opened. By providing the constructionshown for sounding the notes discussed in the manner set forth, aconsiderable amount of fingering which has heretofore been necessary isovercome, thus allowing the instrument to be played with less effort.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,the an rangement, manner of operation and advantages of the improvedfeatures of construction will be readily understood, and it will beobvious that no changes need be made in the construction of instrumentsto which the numerous fingers are applied.

In conclusion, I will state that although I have shown and describedcertain specific details for the attainment of probably the bestresults, numerous changes may be made within the scope of the inventionas claimed without sacrificing the main advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination with three valves of a saxophone or similarinstrument; of means for automatically opening one valve when another isopened, and additional means operated by the first named means forautomatically opening the third valve when either of the first namedvalves is opened.

2. The combination with three sound controlling valves of a saxophone orsimilar instrument, of a rigid finger secured to one of said valves andpositioned in the outward path of another valve, and a second rigidfinger secured to the third valve and positioned in the outward path ofthe first named finger.

3. The combination with three sound controlling valves-of a saXophone orsimilar instrument and the operating arms for said valves; of a rigidfinger projecting laterally from one valve and having its free end off-5 set outwardly from the instrument and disposed over the arm of anothervalve, an anti-friction roller on this arm underlying said finger, asecond rigid finger projecting laterally from the third valve and having10 its free end offset outwardly from the instrument, and a secondanti-friction roller on said second finger overlying the first namedfinger.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing 15 Witnesses.

SIDNEY C. GILBERT. Vitnesses:

JOHN ROBBINS, JAMES M. ROBBINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

